


Dating Billboard Boy

by fallsintograce



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fashion & Models, Dating, M/M, Model Yuuri Katsuki, Most of them still skate actually, Reverse bang fic, Social Media, Victor's still a skater, made for yoibb 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-22
Updated: 2018-06-22
Packaged: 2019-05-26 18:12:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15006500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallsintograce/pseuds/fallsintograce
Summary: Thanks to Phichit, Yuuri finds himself turned into a model with a face that appears in every ad and billboard around the city. Within a few days, he becomes well know throughout and catches everyone's eye on social media. So naturally, he also catches the eye of Victor Nikiforov who he has always admired from a distance. What'll happen when Victor decides he wants to date the Billboard Boy?





	Dating Billboard Boy

**Author's Note:**

> And here I bring you my Viktuuri Reverse Bang 2018 fic! I was paired with the lovely blahfink who has provided the artwork. As soon as the link of those comes up (or when I get the chance), I'll add them to the fic. Thank you, blahfink, for helping me out with this! I may make a sequel to this but we'll see. For now, get a little taste of their meeting together. Thanks to the mods at Viktuuri Reverse Bang for all of this as well!
> 
> ETA: Fan art is here too!
> 
> Pics have been resized so they fit better. 
> 
> [](http://tinypic.com?ref=34nqxkk)
> 
> And here's the second: 
> 
> [](http://tinypic.com?ref=33vesmp)  
> 

This was all Phichit’s fault. The whole idea had been Phichit’s fault. 

Well, that was not entirely true. Phichit was the one who gave him the idea and Yuuri was the one who went for it. It didn’t seem like a lot at the time. They both wanted some money and they had free time to do this. This job was a simple one. It was a quick photoshoot to see if Yuuri would be the perfect model. So naturally, Yuuri was nervous and not as gung-ho about this.

“They’re looking for an average person but I bet they want someone better looking.” He said. “That’s what they’re always after. This is just to get people to stop by and check it out.”

“That may be so but you could be what they are looking for.” Phichit pointed out. “I already tried out and they said I wasn’t what they wanted. That’s when I told them about you and they said to bring you along. The least you can do is check it out and see if you like it. I doubt they’ll ask you to do much.”

Yuuri’s doubts were in place but he agreed to try it out. The modeling company had advertised they wanted a model that people could relate to. The person didn’t need to have any prior experience and it was actually preferred that they didn’t. Everyone who went to the photoshoot would be compensated in one way or another. The beginning pay wasn’t a whole lot but it was a nice reward. There was no harm in trying. 

The first photoshoot was going to be for a pair of shoes and pants that showed off his ankles. That alone was enough to make him a little apprehensive. Being a model was not something he had ever dreamed about. Feet were feet and he didn’t understand why anyone would find them attractive. His feet alone had cracks around the ankles and toes. Who would want him to model anything with this body? Nonetheless, he had been asked to come in and get some shots done of his feet and legs. If all went well, they would start taking more pictures of his body. The free clothes and food would be worth it. 

“This is a bad idea.” He told Phichit, wiggling his toes. “I’m not sure if I should go through with this. I don’t have the ‘pretty feet’ that they’re asking for. I don’t have the face for modeling and I’m not even sure if I have the body.”

“Your feet are fine. Besides, if they want to get rid of your cracks, they can Photoshop them out.” Phichit reminded him. I don’t think your face or body are going to be a big factor in this photoshoot. Just show off your feet and legs and you’ll be fine.” 

That was a lot easier to say than do. Phichit had a good point in that Yuuri’s face and body weren’t going to be the focus of the picture. He didn’t need to do much with them this time around. He just needed good feet. The money they got from this would be good and it would give them both a lot of exposure. The photo studio that they were at didn’t seem shady either. Everyone who greeted them was friendly and willing to work with them. They took a look at Yuuri’s feet and determined that they were perfect.

“Beautiful.” One of them complimented as Yuuri flexed and pointed his toes. “Strong, healthy feet. That’s just what we are looking for with this campaign.”

“The cracks on my feet don’t bother you?”

“No. You’re not the only model who has them. Besides, Photoshop exists and we can take out any blemishes and cracks. Now the photoshoots are long but you will be compensated for them. I promise you that this won’t be a hard job. Just follow our directions and things will go well.” 

Thus began the photoshoot where he would be on different sets. The first one was at a beach scene where he would pretend to be running and walking about on the sand. The photographer kept telling him to keep his eyes on the camera and act like he was having a good time. He was also told to play around on set with the sand and props. At first, Yuuri was having trouble getting into character. He wasn’t able to fake a smile or jump around like they had wanted. When Phichit was able to get on set and show him what they meant, things went smoother. That prepared him for the second photoshoot, which was in front of a forest scene. 

“Beautiful! Just beautiful!” The photographer complimented him as they got through each shot. “That’s more like it! Now I can see why you were picked for this job. You have the looks for it and I bet anyone would want to buy these clothes now.”

I can’t believe I’m actually doing this. Yuuri thought as the photoshoot went on. It was getting easier to fake happiness but he was secretly dying inside. Maybe his nerves would get the best of him and he wouldn’t be hired. The free stuff was nice but the long hours of modeling weren’t going to be worth it. His feet were hurting from jumping and running about and his head was aching from all the bright lights on him. After what felt like ten hours, he was finally done.

“You did great. Just perfect. I know we haven’t seen the final products yet but I wouldn’t mind if you came back again.” The director said as they were getting ready to leave. “I like you and I think a lot of people would buy the clothes if you wore them. You’ve got a face that the world will fall in love with. I’m not worried about the minor things. We can cover them up. It might have been a rocky start but you’re fine now and I think we can work with this.”

“You can?” Phichit sounded more excited by this news than Yuuri did. “That’s great! When can we get the pictures?”

“Probably in about two days. If it’s all right, we can set up another photoshoot. This time, it’s going to be for the real campaign. This is what we will put everywhere. People around the world are going to see you. People are going to buy what you are selling them. And of course, you will be compensated for your time and work. Does that sound good?”

“Um…” Yuuri looked over at Phichit was silently begging him to take this job. It had been tough but it wasn’t all that bad. Once he loosened up, things went by faster. He could get used to the long hours. “I guess I could by and do another shoot…”

“Perfect! I was hoping you would say yes! All right, do you care when this shoot is held? I’ve got morning, afternoon, and evening opened up.”

“Morning might be good. I can take care of it early in the day.” 

“Yeah, I’d like to see how things go as well and my mornings are free.” Phichit added. “Does that mean Yuuri has the job?”

“I would say he does. I can’t wait to see what you do next time, Yuuri.”

It happened so fast that Yuuri had no time to register what he had agreed to. As they were walking back home, he asked Phichit if all of this was real. “Did that just happen? Am I a model now?”

“I’d say you are, yes. They really seemed to like what you did.”

“I’m a model.”

“Yes, you’re a model. You’ll be seen by all kinds of people. Your face will be recognizable. You’re going to be famous!” 

This wasn’t what Yuuri had in mind when it came to being famous. He never saw himself as a model. He felt he was average in looks and he didn’t exactly drip confidence and charisma. He had seen the other models on advertisements, and he knew he wouldn’t fit in. They were the kind of people that could sell clothes. Would anyone even buy what he was selling?

“I...I’m not sure if this is a good idea.” He began. “What if things don’t work out?”

“Don’t work out? They’re going to be fine! I promise it’s not going to be as horrible as you are thinking. Do what you did a few hours ago and everything will be a success!”

“See? You had nothing to worry about.” Phichit pointed out. “I have a feeling this is going to be good for you.”

“Are you sure? I still don’t think I’m what anyone is looking for.”

“You never know. This could lead to something big and incredible for you. Who knows? Maybe what you’re really looking for will come with all these ads and photoshoots.” 

“Maybe.” Yuuri murmured. Phichit had to be right. This wasn’t exactly what he was hoping for but it could lead to a new opportunity. It would allow him to go places he didn’t go and mingle with people he didn’t know before. It could lead to a better future. 

And maybe, just maybe, it would lead him to something he never expected. 

~ ~ ~ 

Several months later…

The new ads were all over town and Yuuri’s face was plastered on each of them. In the beginning, he did have some issues. Photographers would complain that he would look like he was terrified of the camera. A couple of them said that he looked dead in the eyes. However, when he had a chance to relax, he began to show his true self. When he was posed, he didn’t seem natural. When they left him to his own devices, he did far better. 

As it turned out, he was getting a lot of fans and followers. Phichit was the one to show him how things were going on social media. He already had a lot of people who liked to follow him around but now things had skyrocketed. Suddenly, everyone was buying the clothes he was wearing. They were gushing about it and eager to see what else that fashion line had in store. Things were going so fast that Yuuri rarely had time to breathe. He didn’t feel like a model but he was one. There were people on the streets who seemed to recognize him. Suddenly, everyone in the world was his friend.

“Not bad.” Phichit said, looking at his phone. “You got 30 new followers today and no one unfollowed. Let’s see if anyone famous followed you.”

“I doubt it.” Yuuri leaned back in his chair and tried to rest his feet. He had been standing all day and the pain was getting to him now. They just had a few hours to spare before meeting up with the crew again for another photoshoot. It was a new thing now; two or three photoshoots a day that included everything, from prep to the shoot itself. “I’m glad people are enjoying it... but I still don’t know why. What do they see in me? I’m not what someone would think of as a model.”

“That’s exactly it; you look like someone they can relate to. When you were those clothes and look like you’re having fun, that’s what they want.” Phichit pointed out. “That’s why I told you to take this gig. You are exactly what they are looking for and I knew they would like you. In fact, look at this.” He showed Yuuri a picture of one of the latest ads. This was for something that called “Eros”, which was supposed to be dripping with sex appeal. While Yuuri could see himself in that picture, it didn’t really feel like him. It looked like someone who had everything together.

“That isn’t me.” Yuuri murmured. “That’s someone who’s pretending to be me.”

“I don’t think so. You were so relaxed and happy during that shoot. It didn’t even look like you were nervous.” Phichit stared at the list of followers and likes until he noticed someone familiar. “Oh!”

“What?”

“Oh, wow! I had no idea...I didn’t think he would...I mean, it’s just strange that he…”

“Who?” Yuuri was curious as he stared over Phichit’s shoulder. “Who did what here?”

“You have a new follower and you won’t believe who it is!” Phichit exclaimed. “It’s the last person you probably expected–but one you’ll be happy to have!”

“Who is it then? Show me!”

“Look!” Phichit pointed to the latest person who had liked a photo. It didn’t seem right at first. They wondered if it was someone pretending to have this name. “I had to double-check to make sure it was him. I didn’t want it to be some fan who took his name but it’s not! It’s him! It’s the real thing! He’s verified so it is his account!”

Yuuri blinked. “I don’t believe it.”

“Believe it. It’s all real. Victor Nikiforov is following you. He is the one who liked your latest photo! He hasn’t said anything about it yet but he liked it! That’s a big deal!”

It was in fact a very big deal, and Yuuri could feel his stomach turning into a giant knot. He had many followers who were famous and popular but Victor Nikiforov was a whole other story. This was the Victor that he admired for years. Victor, the legend on the ice, was the one who was liking pictures of Yuuri on social media. For a lot of people, this wouldn’t have meant much but for Yuuri, it was a big deal. That meant that Victor had noticed him long enough to like something he was in. He could feel his heart beating in his chest as he handed Phichit back his phone.

“I...I don’t know.” He finally said. “Maybe he liked this but it doesn’t mean much.”

“Doesn’t mean much? This is Victor we’re talking about! You are probably one of his biggest fans. You own everything that has Victor’s face on it. I still remember once that you said you would marry Victor if you could! You wanted to buy an engagement ring to give to him!”

“I wasn’t being serious...well, not completely serious.” Yuuri blushed. “Okay, I admit that it’s nice Victor liked my photo but that’s probably it. He thought it was nice. I don’t think he’s out there trying to look for me. I’m a dime a dozen model out there.”

“Seriously? Are you still calling yourself a dime a dozen model?” Phichit shook his head. “After all this time, you still have a hard time seeing how great you are. Victor liking your photo is a big thing. If he likes it, then a lot of other people will like it too.”

Yuuri looked at the photo that Victor liked. He could understand why because it didn’t look like Yuuri at all. It was the picture of a man who had confidence and dripped sex appeal. This was a man who had everything figured out and was always happy. This was a man who enjoyed life. Of course Victor would like this. The picture probably probably reminded him of himself.

“I guess it’s a good thing.” Yuuri finally gave in. “I mean, it’s not like Victor is going to try and find out who I am. He liked the picture and that’s all that matters!” He laughed to himself. “Victor liked my photo!”

“Ah, there’s the Yuuri I know! So what are we going to do to celebrate this moment?” 

“Get drunk?” Yuuri thought out loud. “Maybe get some katsudon in the process? I think this calls for katsudon.” 

“Kastudon and drinks it is! Who knows? Maybe Victor will like more photos later.”

Yuuri nodded, hoping that’s what this would lead to. Victor liking all those photos gave him a good feeling. It proved that his idol noticed him and liked what he had to offer. That was probably where it would all end though. Victor would like photos but that was all. There was no way he was going to try and find Yuuri.

No way at all.

~ ~ ~

“I have to find him.”

Christophe Giacometti looked up from what he was reading and saw Victor Nikiforov staring at his phone. “Who are you trying to find?”

“Him. I have to find him.” Victor repeated, showing him a photo on the phone. “Who is this model? Where can I find him? How do I get in touch with him?”

“Hold on! Let me look at him first.” Chris took the phone and saw what Victor was talking about. “Oh, that new model! Yeah, he’s everywhere on their website. Kind of sexy, isn’t he?”

Victor stared at the ad and had a sudden urge to get in touch with this model. “How do I talk to him?”

“Um, send him a comment? I’m sure he’s not going to mind if you tell him you like his photo.” Chris couldn’t understand this. Victor had no problems liking things or sending comments in the past. He had seen how people would gush over Victor’s replies. “You don’t have to be friends with him. Just like his photo and saw that it looks nice. What’s the worst he can do to you? Block you? Somehow, I don’t think he’ll block you for that.”

It was so much easier to say than do. His thumb hovered over that like button and hesitated to push down on it. The model already had far too many likes and followers. There were millions of girls and guys already gushing about him, wanting his attention. A bunch had offered marriage proposals and were asking him to come to their school dances. With all of this going on, liking a photo wouldn’t hurt anything. Getting his courage together, he pressed the like button and let out a sigh.

“It’s done!”

“Well, good for you! Was that so hard?” Chris asked. “He’s probably never going to look at it. Hell, you can tell him that you like it and he probably won’t notice. He’s getting a million people, including celebrities, telling him that he’s not. He won’t blink in your direction.”

In general, that did sound good but Victor was hoping this model would pay attention. Chris did have a point that sending him a message shouldn’t be hard. He got a lot of them and all that needed to be said was that he liked the picture. Quickly, Victor added a comment and put in his tiny heart-shaped smile at the end of it.

“Okay, I let him know how I felt.” He said. “I wish I knew his name.”

“We can always find out.” Chris suggested. “He looks familiar to me. I wonder if we’ve seen him at another party.”

“Maybe.” Victor looked at the comments on that picture as they piled up. Some of the commentors did notice that he had said something and were currently screaming in the comment box. The Victor Nikiforov had left a comment. Victor Nikiforov put his signature smiley face in that comment. “I wonder where he lives.”

“You want to visit him or something? I don’t know if he’ll be okay with that.” Chris said. “He probably wants to keep to himself. He’s already got a lot of fans but rarely interacts with them. He just posts the photos and lets everyone go crazy with comments. All I know is that he’s pretty shy. He doesn’t want to talk about what he does.”

That did not help at all. Victor knew that it was going to be tough to talk to this model but he couldn’t stop staring at him. There was something about that face, which was drawing him close. Those eyes were soft and brown but there was something seductive as well. He couldn’t understand why this model stood out over the others. It could be that he wasn’t overly made up like some of the others. He looked like he had been picked right off the streets and sent straight in front of the cameras. His facial expressions were the most natural out of all the models. He did look like he was having fun as opposed to the others who were posing. 

“Do you think he’ll reply to me?”

“Maybe, maybe not. I wouldn’t get my hopes up too high though. He hasn’t replied to his last couple of photos so I don’t think he’s going to reply to this.”

Victor’s face fell as he stared at his phone. Chris was right about all of this and he couldn’t blame the model for not replying. After all, Victor didn’t always reply to the messages that he got from fans. Why was he expecting this model to do the same? There were far too many people vying for his attention. No, if he wanted to reach out to him, he needed another approach. He looked at all the backgrounds of the photos and noticed that some of them were actual places. He was standing behind a fancy background but the beach behind him was real and it wasn’t too far away from where they were. 

“I think I know how I can find him!” He exclaimed. “He has to be around here! Look at the beach. It’s not too far from where we are.” 

“And you’re sure he’s still here? He could probably be on the first flight out. You can try to get in touch with him but don’t get too hopeful. Just cross your fingers and hope that he does reply.”

Victor knew that everything Chris said made sense but he had another idea. He had already left a comment on the model’s photo. He could follow it up with a question and see how the model would react to it. The worst thing he could do was ignore it like with all the others. It was a crazy idea but it would probably be the one thing no one else would think to do. He had never done this with anyone else before. 

He asked him out on a date.

~ ~ ~

Yuuri stared at the most recent message he had gotten on his photo. He had been close to deleting it until he saw who it came from. It wasn’t unusual for him to get offers for dates or even marriage proposals. He would just laugh these off as fans just trying to get his attention. They were always just young people who were excited to make comments and gush over the photos.

This comment was different. It wasn’t just from a famous person, it had come from Victor Nikiforov. The account had checked out so he knew he was dealing with the real thing. Getting the comment alone was enough to make anyone’s heart stop for a second. It was what Victor had asked in that comment that nearly made Yuuri pass out.

“He just asked me out on a date.” He began, showing Phichit what Victor had written. “Victor Nikiforov wants to go out with me!”

“Are you sure about that?” Phichit checked out the account and saw that Yuuri was right. The real Victor had asked if Yuuri was free on the weekend and if he wanted to go to the beach. “Oh yeah, that’s him. He wants to go out with you on Saturday.”

“And that doesn’t bother you?”

“Not really? Does it bother you?”

“No, but...why me?” Yuuri asked. “I’ve looked up to him all my life and now he’s asking me on a date? I don’t even know if I’m dreaming or not. I am awake, right?”

“You are awake and yes, this question is real. I bet he’s waiting for an answer.” Phichit could see that Yuuri’s anxiety was going to go through the roof any minute. He had to come up with a way to calm him down. “I’m sure he means it too. The very least you can do is answer him.”

“How do I answer him? I’m not even sure what time he wants me to go or what else we’re going to do. Do I just say yes? What if this is a prank? I’m not...I should ignore, shouldn’t I? I should treat this like all the other comments. I get these type things all the time.” Yuuri nodded, trying to convince himself that this wasn’t such a big deal. Various possibilities ran through his head. What if Victor’s account had been hacked and someone else had sent this? What if someone took Victor’s phone to write this question out? 

“Answer back and see if he replies.” 

“Answer with what?”

“A yes or a no. If it’s a yes, ask him what time on Saturday.” 

Yuuri stared down at his phone with his finger hovering over it. He had no idea if he wanted to say yes or no. If it was a prank, then the person would either make fun of him or they would ignore him. ‘Yes’ was just three letters and ‘no’ was two. His thumb started to head towards the ‘n’ but quickly went to the ‘y’ and typed out ‘yes’ followed by asking what time on Saturday and where. Then he sent it and calmed down. It wasn’t supposed to be a hard thing to do but he had struggled with it.

“It’s done.” He said. “I just hope Victor doesn’t think I’m too forward.”

“Why would he think that? He’s the one who asked you. The worst that can happen is that he ignores you.”

That would have been the best thing but Yuuri tried not to think about it. He kept looking at his phone and waiting for something. It was stupid to think that the Victor Nikiforov would actually send something back. Saturday was a free day for him so he could go out. He just didn’t want to get his hopes up so high that they came crashing down later. What if Victor said yes and didn’t show up? Even worse, what if Victor turned out to be the opposite of what Yuuri imagined? Interviews didn’t show every part of a person. Victor sounded intelligent and professional when he was talking to others on TV. That didn’t mean he would be the same way in real.

_What am I thinking? This is Victor! Why did I reply? He probably won't even look at it._ Yuuri reminded himself, looking at his phone and waiting for a reply. _On the other hand, maybe he will. He may not be the same person like he is on TV but I doubt he’s cruel. He’s probably more relaxed in real life._

Time was passing by without a reply from Victor. It was starting to feel hopeless. Yuuri was tired from working all day but he couldn’t stop looking at his phone. He got plenty of messages and love from everyone else. His family was checking to see if he was fine and a couple of people who knew gushed about his photos. There were more girls and guys proposing to him yet none of them had asked him on a date. Until Victor, no one had the guts to ask him out. No one wanted to know who Billboard Boy really was. They were out there buying all the products with his face on it; last week alone, a perfume by the name of Eros had been sold out from every department store. It didn't matter how much this perfume cost, people were buying it because Billboard Boy was selling it to them. They just didn't care to know who he was. Only Victor did.

_If Victor does give me a time and place, what do I do next? He'll know I'm the one on the billboard._ He wondered. _What are we going to talk about? This is the man I’ve looked up to all my life. If he shows up, what am I going to do?_

“You’re stressing out for nothing.” Phichit told him. “Don’t stare your phone like that. He’s not going to answer right away. He’s probably busy.”

“I know I shouldn’t keep looking at it but I can’t help myself. I never thought that Victor would notice me.”

“Are you kidding? Everyone notices you now! You’re on billboards, magazines, and all kinds of ads! Of course Victor would see you.”

“That’s different though. I didn’t think he’d care enough to send me a message. I don’t know why but this feels different from other celebrities.” Yuuri blushed. “I guess I’ve always wanted him to notice me. I kept thinking of things I would say to him if we were ever in the same room. I always wanted to send him a message but I was scared. I figured he’d never notice them.”

“It looks like he decided to say something now.” Phichit pointed out. “Just give him some time. He’ll probably answer you when he gets a chance.”

Yuuri agreed to this and put his phone to the side. Victor had his own life to live right now. He wasn’t going to be glued to his phone every single second. He had better things to do. Not to mention, he also had to decide on a time and place to meet. If this was his first time in town, he probably didn’t know many places. He would have to do some research to find something that was quiet and close by. 

_I’m worrying about nothing. He’ll answer me when he’s ready._ Yuuri decided, looking at his phone on the table. He’d check up on that in about two hours and hoped that he would finally have answer.

~ ~ ~

“He said yes!” Victor waved his phone around. “He wants to go out with me on Saturday. He just asked me for the time and place!”

“Well, congratulations. Where are you going?” Chris asked.

“I...I don’t know.” Victor admitted, realizing that Yuuri probably wanted a reply now. It was nice to say his name. Yuuri. It just rolled off the tongue. “I have never been here and I don’t know what he likes. What’s a good place for a first date?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you can go to the movies? That’s always an option. If you’re worried about conversation, that’s a good place where you don’t have to talk much.” He suggested. “You can also meet him at the beach where that photoshoot took place. Go in the evening because there are less people then. It’s supposed to be nice on Saturday so that’s another option.”

“Movies, food, and the beach.” Victor thought out loud. “Maybe there’s a chance for us to do both. I’ll ask him if he wants to meet early and if that sounds good. I know it will be fun! Plus I know where I want to take him. There's something I want him to see.”

“I can’t believe he said yes. I guess he’s excited to go out on a date with you. Not that I blame him. He’s doing what a lot of people wished they could do.”

That was true. Victor had been asked out by others but he had politely declined. He never wanted to hurt anyone's feelings but these relationships wouldn't have worked out. Most of them were either too young, lived too far away, or he didn’t feel a spark with them. Yuuri was different to him. There was something he trusted and he wanted to get to know him better. 

There was no doubt about it; he was drawn to Billboard Boy.

~ ~ ~

The night of the date had finally come and Yuuri was nervously waiting outside of the restaurant Victor had suggested. It was an expensive place that never seemed to have any reservations, no matter what day and time one went to it. He had no idea how Victor managed to score a reservation here but he wasn’t complaining. He just hoped that none of this was a prank. All the fans on his social media were also gabbing away about the fact that Victor had asked him out. Some were jealous, some were excited, and everyone was curious how this was going to go. 

_I can’t believe he wants to go out with me. What if he gets disappointed that I'm not who I appear to be? I'm not as handsome as Billboard Boy is._ Yuuri stared down at his phone and waited for a dreaded message. He was expecting someone to send a message saying Victor wasn’t coming and that this was just a joke. Victor had never sent him anything. They just did this to get his hopes up. 

At the same time, he didn’t think Victor would be cruel enough to allow this. He knew that Victor could be very blunt about things but he was never downright mean. He had seen enough of Victor’s interviews to know that he was dealing with someone genuine who spoke his mind. If this was a cruel joke, Victor or someone that he knew would have stopped it a long time ago. Yuuri tried his best to relax and think about what he was going to say. Obviously, he couldn’t act like a silly fanboy despite the fact that Victor was someone he had admired for a long time. He had to be cool, no matter how much he was exploding inside. 

Phichit had to help him decide what to wear and how to behave right before the date. It was good to have his friend around to talk with but Yuuri needed more support so he did manage to talk to Yuuko and Minako back in Japan. Much like him, they were both shocked and excited over the fact that Victor Nikiforov was asking him out. It may not have sounded like a big date but it was something. Most people would have given an arm to go out with him. 

After the two of them calmed down, Yuuko and Minako were able to give him advice. They told him not to panic over this and treat Victor like he treated anyone else. Just because he was a celebrity didn’t mean he wasn’t human. He deserved respect like others did. Above all else, Yuuri just had to be himself. He had no reasons to be nervous or scared. He just had to act like Victor was like one of his friends.

“You’re a celebrity too. I’m sure he knows exactly how you feel.” They told him.

That made a lot of sense but they weren’t the same kind of celebrity. To most people, Yuuri was just a face on a billboard. He was someone people looked at but wouldn’t recognize if they passed him on the street. Victor was far more memorable and for good reasons. People were looking forward to seeing what he would do next. No one cared what the boy on the billboard was up to.

“Yuuri?”

Yuuri turned around even though he was fully aware of who this was. He knew Victor’s voice anywhere. “I...I didn’t think you would make it.”

“I didn’t want to be late.” Victor was staring at him with those soft blue eyes and Yuuri nearly melted into the sidewalk. This was his dream come true and Victor was standing right in front of him. He didn’t know how to respond to anything.

“Um, I...thank you for coming.” He began, immediately regretting this. Who the hell would thank someone for coming on the date they made? “I like what you’re wearing.”

Victor didn’t seem to be annoyed by this. He held out his hand for Yuuri take. “You don’t have to be scared. Let’s go.”

_Well, he moves fast. I shouldn't be that surprised because he's always been fast on ice. Still, he seems excited over something._ Yuuri put his hand in Victor’s palm and was immediately pulled away. Instead of heading into the restaurant, he was pulling him towards the ocean. “Hold on! I thought this was where you wanted to go!”

“We can wait to eat! I want to take you somewhere else first!”

“Somewhere else? Wait, how far is it?”

“Not far! Come with me!”

Victor was now dragging him down the beach for some reason and Yuuri started to wonder why. He had seen the ocean a million times already. It was quiet and hardly anyone was around but this didn’t mean anything. “Do you have something down here?”

“I want you to see something.”

“What?”

“We’re not there yet! Come on! I want you to see my favorite thing.”

Yuuri had no idea where they were headed but it didn’t seem like Victor wanted to go near the water. They were now pulling away from the water and walking around on the sand. Yuuri still couldn’t understand what was the big deal. He had come here with the intention that Victor wanted to go on a date and now his thoughts were filling up with dread. What if something sinister was lying underneath it all? What if his worst fear of Victor doing this to insult him was true? He almost didn’t want to see it. 

“How much further is it?” He had to know.

“We’re here!” Victor stopped and looked up at where a billboard was. “This is my favorite spot.”

Yuuri followed his gaze and saw that it was a billboard with his face on it. “Here? A billboard of me?”

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

“I guess so.” He shrugged. “Is this why you wanted to ask me out? You wanted me to look at a billboard of myself?”

“No. I’ve been thinking about you for a long time. Ever since I saw your pictures, I’ve wanted to meet you. I wanted to see who this billboard boy was and then your face was on social media. I went by this place all the time. I just had to know.”

“You had to know.” Yuuri repeated. “You really wanted to see me that badly? Is that why you asked me out?”

“I wanted to see the billboard boy in person.” He looked up at the billboard. “You are even more beautiful than I thought you would be. That’s why I had to ask you out. I wanted to go out with you...if you are fine with it.”

Yuuri blushed as he looked at that billboard. Maybe Phichit’s idea of being a model was not such a bad idea in the end. If he could get Victor to find him attractive and talk to him, it couldn’t be all that bad. This was just the start of something incredible. This might have been there first date but it couldn’t be the last. So far, he liked where this was heading. Finally, someone seemed to be more interested in him being more than a billboard boy.

“Well, now that you’ve seen me in person, let’s do something more. Let’s get to know each other a little better. You want to date me, now’s your chance.” He suggested. As his stomach growled, he had to know one thing. “Are you hungry?”

Victor took his arm and led his billboard boy away. “I thought you would never ask.”

**Author's Note:**

> Art is now up! 
> 
> Come follow me on tumblr for more YOI and random goodness and to hear about updates on fics and stuff: [fallsintograce](http://fallsintograce.tumblr.com). I'd love to here from you!


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